Moving interactive virtual reality product

ABSTRACT

In one form, a moving interactive virtual reality product comprises a sensor. The sensor can measure positions and motions of an actor relative to a reference frame. The sensor is designed to be capable of outputting a sensor signal, which represents the positions and motions of the actor which are measured by the sensor. A display can be included for providing images for the actor. In one form, the product includes a motor carriage which uses the sensor signal to move the display to match the positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor.

This is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/653,615 filed Sep. 2, 2003, which claims benefit of priority of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/407,797 filed Sep. 3, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application also claims benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/407,797 C7605 filed 03 Sep., 2002, which is also incorporated herein by reference.

The moving interactive virtual reality product comprises a sensor which tracks a moving actor, a display providing images for the moving actor, and a motor carriage moving the display so that the moving actor remains medial the display.

The product is especially useful for training exercises in which the actor moves across terrain while the display presents various situations to which the actor is learning to respond.

FIG. 1 shows a form of the product with a self-mobile display.

FIG. 2 shows form of the product where the motor carriage carries the display.

A sensor 21 measures positions and motions of an actor 91 relative to a reference frame. The sensor outputs a sensor signal which represents the positions and motions of the actor which are measured by the sensor.

A motor carriage uses the sensor signal to move the display to match the positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor.

The motor carriage can be a structure 11 which is self-mobile 12 and carries the display which can be a screen 51 upon which images are projected by a projector 31. This structure 11 can also carry the sensor 21.

The motor carriage can be a vehicle 12A which carries 13A a structure 11A which can have a sensor 21A attached can have attached a projector 31A which can project images onto a screen 51A.

In either case the motor carriage can use wheels, tracks, any other motive means, and any combination of these. The motor carriage can be any device, and can be a combination of devices, which can move the display to match the positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor.

“Match the positions and motions” means that the motor carriage can move the display with the same velocities and accelerations as the actor can move so that the actor remains medial the display. Keeping the actor medial the display keeps the relationship between the display and the field of view of the actor constant enough so that the display appears sufficiently real for the actor, where the meaning of “sufficiently real” is dependent on details of the use of the device.

In one form, the sensor at least measures positions and motions of the actor 91 relative to a reference frame. The reference frame can be the display 51, 51A itself so that as the actor moves relative to the display the display is moved to keep the actor medial the display.

The reference frame can be external to the display and can be external to the motor carriage, in which case the position of the sensor relative to the external reference frame must also be determined. The sensor could be at an external reference frame and not at the display.

The sensor 21, 21A can have components. In this case the sensor signal will have signal components. The components can be less and can be more than the components shown in the drawings.

The sensor signal can also be used to modify the displayed images to compensate for changes in the relationship between the display and the field of view of the actor.

A sensor can be the coded data source sensor of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/203,735 filed Aug. 13, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference.

In this case the sensor is a sensor pair. A first member of the sensor pair element at the display 21 is an imager and a second member of the sensor pair is at least one coded data source 41 at—and preferably on—the actor. There can be a plurality of coded data sources—41, 42 for example—at various parts of the actor. There can be a plurality of imagers 21.

The sensor can be the electromagnetic sensor of PCT/US04/14122 filed May 6, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. In this case a first member of a sensor pair—21 and 41—is an electromagnetic field source and the second member of the pair is an electromagnetic field sensor.

In some forms, the sensor pair element at the display 21 can be a radio frequency identity (RFID) sensor and the sensor pair element at the actor 41 can be a RFID transmitter.

The sensor can be various combinations of these and other sensor apparatus. The sensor can be any sensor which can measure the positions and motions of the actor and provide a sensor signal which can be used by the motor carriage to move the display to match positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor or can be used to modify the images in accord with positions and/or motions of the actor and/or parts of the actor measured by the sensor.

The display provides images which can be viewed by the actor when the actor is within the structure. The display can comprise a screen 51, 51A attached to a structure 11 with the motor carriage and can be carried 13A by the motor carriage. A projector 31, 31A can project images on the screen. The projector can have components. The display can be a device with no projector such as a liquid crystal display. The display can also comprise a wearable display device worn by the actor.

The motor carriage is adapted to move on a surface with velocities and accelerations which match the velocities and accelerations which can be achieved by an actor. The surface need not be flat. The surface can vary in contour and texture and in ways that natural and built surfaces vary. The motor carriage can be a self-balancing device akin to stair-climbing wheelchairs.

The display and the motor carriage are dimensioned and oriented so that when an actor is within the structure and medial the structure the actor can adopt various positions within the structure and on the surface.

The signal output by the sensor can represent the identities of any components—coded data sources 41, 42 for example—of the sensor. The signal can also represent the values of any variable properties the sensor and of any these sensor components.

There can be a plurality of sensor components—41, 42 for example—attached at a plurality of positions at the actor, at objects with the actor, on the surface, on the structure 11, 11A and at any positions within and outside the structure.

The signal can also cause changes in the displayed images. The displayed image can be caused to change by changes in the field of view of the actor.

The displayed images can be at least in part caused by a second signal representing motions of a second actor moving with a second mobile interactive virtual reality product which is interchangeable with the mobile interactive virtual reality product described above.

“Actor” here comprises human actors, non-human beings, and non-sentient beings such as robots.

The product can also comprise a motion sensor which outputs a motion signal which causes the display to cause the images to be unaffected by motions of the display. 

1. A moving interactive virtual reality product comprising: a sensor which measures positions and motions of an actor relative to a reference frame, the sensor outputting a sensor signal, the sensor signal representing the positions and motions of the actor which are measured by the sensor; a display providing images for the actor; and a motor carriage which uses the sensor signal to move the display to match the positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor
 2. A moving interactive virtual reality product comprising: a sensor which measures positions and motions of an actor relative to a reference frame, the sensor being a coded data source and an imager viewing the coded data source, the sensor outputting a sensor signal, the sensor signal representing the positions and motions of the actor which are measured by the sensor; a display providing images for the actor; and a motor carriage which uses the sensor signal to move the display to match the positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor.
 3. A moving interactive virtual reality product comprising: a sensor which measures positions and motions of an actor and of parts of the actor relative to a reference frame, the sensor having sensor components, the sensor outputting a sensor signal, the signal having signal components; the signal components representing the positions and motions of the actor and of parts of the actor which are measured by the sensor; a display providing images for the actor; and a motor carriage which uses the sensor signal to move the display to match the positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor.
 4. A moving interactive virtual reality product comprising: a sensor which measures positions and motions of an actor and of parts of the actor relative to a reference frame, the sensor outputting a sensor signal, the sensor signal representing the positions and motions of the actor and of parts of the actor which are measured by the sensor; a display which provides images for the actor, the sensor signal being used to modify the display in accord with positions and motions of the actor and parts of the actor measured by the sensor; and a motor carriage which uses the sensor signal to move the display to match the positions and motions of the actor measured by the sensor.
 5. The moving interactive virtual reality product of claim 4, wherein the sensor signal being used to modify the display in accord with positions and motions of the actor and parts of the actor measured by the sensor comprises the sensor signal being used to modify the images provided by the display. 